Dedrique Taylor Named Head Men's Basketball Coach at Cal State Fullerton

FULLERTON, Calif. -- Arizona State associate head men's basketball coach and long-time college assistant Dedrique Taylor has been appointed the 11th men's basketball head coach in Cal State Fullerton history, Athletic Director Jim Donovan announced Wednesday.

"I think Dedrique is a perfect fit for the Cal State Fullerton program," Donovan said. "His ties to Southern California will help us immensely in our recruiting efforts and his experience in a major conference like the Pac-12 will serve him well in helping bring our program into the upper echelons of the Big West Conference and compete for championships."

He replaces interim coach Andy Newman, who led the Titans to a 14-18 overall record and a 6-12 mark in Big West Conference play in 2012-13.

"I would like to thank Jim Donovan and the selection committee for believing in my vision for Titan Basketball," Taylor said. "My coaching journey has brought me to a place I call home, and I value that immensely. I look forward to positively impacting the lives of the young men that are currently in the program and the lives of future Titans as well. Together we will represent Fullerton with pride."

Named as one of the top 25 assistant coaches in the nation by CollegeInsider.com in 2010, Taylor has spent the last seven seasons helping rebuild the Sun Devils program, leading ASU to four 20-win seasons, including a trip to the NCAA Second Round in 2008-09 with a 25-10 overall record -- the most victories for the program since 1974-75 and the second of three-straight 20-win seasons for Arizona State, something that hadn't happened since 1961-62. He was elevated to the position of associate head coach in the spring of 2010.

This past season, the Sun Devils finished 22-13 and 10-10 in the Pacific-12 Conference, advancing to the second round of the National Invitational Tournament with a win over Detroit and a narrow three-point loss on the road at Baylor.

In all, Arizona State was 120-109 (.524) in his seven seasons.

A native Californian, Taylor joined the Sun Devils' program after spending two seasons as Nevada, helping the Wolf Pack to a 27-6 overall record and a third-straight NCAA Tournament in 2005-06. While in Reno, he coached a pair of forwards to All-Western Athletic Conference honors, including two-time WAC Player of the Year Nick Fazekas, and helped Nevada to 52 wins in his two seasons.

Prior to that, Taylor also spent two seasons as an assistant at Portland State (2002-04) and one season apiece at Loyola Marymount (2001-02) and Big West Conference rival UC Davis (2000-01).

As a player, Taylor began his career Kings River Community College (now Reedley College) out of Pomona High School in 1993-94, helping his team reach the "Elite Eight" and "Final Four" in the California Junior College state playoffs. He then transferred to Armstrong Atlantic State in Savannah, Georgia, for the 1994-95 season, helping the Pirates to the most wins in school history to that point and a trip to the NCAA Division II "Sweet 16."

He finished his career at UC Davis, playing two seasons (1995-97) and helping the Aggies to a 43-16 overall record and a pair of trips to the second round of the NCAA Regional Tournament. He graduated from UC Davis with a degree in sociology and organizational studies in 1997 and earned a master's degree in sports administration from the United States Sports Academy in 2000.

PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

Cal State Fullerton Athletic Director Jim Donovan - Opening Remarks "He hails from Pomona and he's coming home. He had a phenomenal interview. Full of energy. At the end of the interview, he left most of the selection committee with goosebumps because he said, in closing, 'This is my destiny. I'm coming home. I'm going to lead this program and we're going to go places.' We are so very pleased to have someone of his character."

Head Men's Basketball Coach Dedrique Taylor - Opening Remarks "First and foremost, I'd like to thank Jim Donovan and the committee for the opportunity, for trusting me and the vision I have for this program. I am extremely excited about the opportunity that we have before us."

"I'm looking forward to working hand-in-hand with the administration here and the rest of the people on campus to put Cal State Fullerton as a university, as well as an athletic department, on a different stage -- on a stage that's never been seen -- and the only way we can do that is if everybody is moving in the same direction and that direction is graduation and winning basketball games."

"Our immediate goal is to continue the educational mission of the largest university in the State of California. Deliver the student-athletes one of the best experiences of their lives. That's what college is all about. I'm looking forward to being a huge part in teaching life lessons through this game we call basketball. It's taken me across the world. I've met people that I didn't even know, obviously, existed, but opportunities that have come because of this game I am anxious to share with the young men that I will encounter on a daily basis… not only just our team, but in our community."

"A big part of me being so excited about having the chance to come home is because I represent the local community here. I'm from here. I grew up playing open gym in this very gym. I spent my summers trying to hone what really small skills I had in this gym. This place has always been special to me because of that."

"We have an opportunity, from this stage, from my position, to impact and positively affect the lives of those we come in contact with and that's what drives me. That's what motivates me and I'm excited to share that vision with all of you in this room and, most important, the student-athletes that are here now, the past athletes that have come through here, and the ones that will come through the doors as prospective student-athletes."

"I would be remiss if I didn't mention the past of Titan basketball. Coach George McQuarn. Cedric Ceballos. Bruce Bowen. All of those names are guys that we will go back and put our arms around. It's important to understand the history of what we had to get where we're going as we move forward. Those guys will be an integral part of what we're trying do as well as the greater community here."

"From a reciting standpoint, obviously, Southern California is a huge hotbed for us and we plan to take advantage of that and some of the relationships we have. Recruiting to me is just a polished word for 'relationships.' People will help who they are friends with and who they trust. Here at Cal State Fullerton, I have already met multiple people who understand that and share that vision. I am looking forward to walking around in the community and expressing that care and concern and let people know that that is present here at Cal State Fullerton and we're looking forward to it being a major pillar in our basketball program."

"Our style of play, everybody wants to know, 'What are you going to do? How are you going to play?' Well, guess what, we are going to get up and down and move around. We are going to have some fun. We are going to try to play as fast as we can play good. I don't want to be a bunch of wild banshees running around out here, but I want to get up and down the floor. I want our guys to understand that the first six seconds of the shot clock are theirs. If we rebound and defend, I'm giving them six seconds to go and get a quick bucket. If not, we do some different things and I'll control the next part of the shot clock and the last part of the shot clock, we'll put guys into positions where we think they can have success."